Ashes Predictions

We might have had a thread on this already, but now the hour is nigh, so time to go on the record again.

5-0 Australia
Top runscorer - Shane Watson, just from Ricky Ponting. Trott for the Poms.
Top wicket taker - Mitchell Johnson. Swann for the Poms.
Dumpings - Marcus North
Debutant/Returning players - Pete Siddle (due to injury, not dropping).
Surprise Packet - If I knew that, it wouldn't be a surprise. Alright, um, Swampy Marsh to make a surprise return as Australia's front line spinner.

Last edited by Matt79; 26-10-2010 at 04:12 AM.

Originally Posted by Irfan

We may not like you, your filthy rich coffers or your ratbag scum of supporters but by god do we respect you as a football team

Not quite sure of my predictions yet, but what I would want to see is:

5-0
Top scorer Clarke with a bucket of buckets
Top wicket taker Mitch, Swann the only good bowler for England (because he's generally awesome)
North to GAGF
Hussey to retire gracefully once the series is sealed
Smith to be brilliant
KP to show one flash of brilliance then be dismal
A close match on the order of Mohali/Edgbaston that we actually ****ing win

We might have had a thread on this already, but now the hour is nigh, so time to go on the record again.

5-0 Australia
Top runscorer - Shane Watson, just from Ricky Ponting. Trott for the Poms.
Top wicket taker - Mitchell Johnson. Swann for the Poms.
Dumpings - Marcus North
Debutant/Returning players - Pete Siddle (due to injury, not dropping).
Surprise Packet - If I knew that, it wouldn't be a surprise. Alright, um, Swampy Marsh to make a surprise return as Australia's front line spinner.

2-1 our way (Adelaide to be a draw), with wins at the Gabba and SCG
Pupter to top score. Strauss for England.
Mitch to relish the faster, bouncier wickets and get some of his own back
Hilfenhaus to be extremely solid and finally get a 5-wicket ****ing haul. Top wicket taker in the series
Dougeh to provide excellent support, similar end results to Mitch but more consistent
Broad to do the same on one occasion, but only one (being Broad)
Anderson to be fairly similar to Hoggard last time around - good but hardly destructive bowling. Has a bit of a problem with Watson, Pupter driving him with gay abandon.
Swann to be very good but not stellar by the fact that Pupter play off-spin at home just fine, thanks. Will have basically everyone else in all sorts of bother at various stages though.
(if you hadn't guessed). The top four will continue to carry our batting line-up. Watson and Katich will continue to make starts but frustratingly get out just as we start to look like we're in a strong position, forcing Pupter to go into rebuild mode (again). Should they both fail, collapse on the majority of occasions.
Collapses after the loss lead to North to get the axe, for Khawaja or Smith, depending on whether Hauritz has managed to survive (oh yeah, he'll perform adequately). Haddin should be nervous too.
The England batting lineup to look bizarrely similar, with the exception that we discover just how slowly Trott can score. This leads to one or two innings of supremity from KP in response, but mostly just brainsnaps. Strauss will be consistent... in getting 30-40's and getting out. The rest of the middle and top order will fire independently but there will be a fair share of collapses.
The series is decided when Ponting wins the SCG toss and bats.

2-1 to England
Leading Run Scorer: Kevin Pietersen; with Simon Katich taking it for Australia.
Leading Wicket-Taker: Mitchell Johnson; with Graeme Swann taking it for England
Dumpings: Marcus North; potentially Alastair Cook.
Debut/Return: Chris Tremlett to replace James Anderson; Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja to make appearances in the series for the Aussies.
Surprise Packet: Steven Finn to bowl beautifully, dominating Ponting all series.

38.3
Styris to Pietersen, SIX, wow, what a shot, that is awesome...it's a repeat of his six off Muralitharan at Edgbaston, as he switches his grip and reverse-hits Styris over deep cover (or should that be deep square-leg) for a memorable maximum.

Originally Posted by Cricinfo

42.6
Styris to Pietersen, SIX, that's the most extraordinary shot, he switches his grip to that of a left-hander and launches Stryis high over long-off for a might six. That is one of the more incredible shots you'll see

Strauss to be England's best batsman, and pretty much this is why I see Australia not retaining the Ashes at this stage. He's the key player, if he has a good series it will be super tough to get the Ashes back.

Well yeah Tendy is probably better than Bradman, but Bradman was 70 years ago, if he grew up in the modern era he'd still easily be the best. Though he wasn't, can understand the argument for Tendy even though I don't agree.